Maywood Park

RICH N FLASHY EYES REPEAT IN $20,000 TASER GUN STAKE

Rich N Flashy

State-bred pacing colts will take center stage again this evening as a field of nine sophomores battle in the $20,000 Taser Gun Stake, which has been carded as race seven on the program.

Jim Reynolds, Jim Edgar and Judy & Terry Rathgeber’s Rich N Flashy comes into this race looking for his third straight stakes triumph after taking last Thursday’s $15,000 Sportsmaster Stake here at Maywood in a lifetime best of 1:54.3. The gelded son of Richess Hanover also captured a division of the Taurus Bomber Stake at Balmoral to start the month, tripping the timer in 1:54.4 that night. Under the guidance of trainer Kristopher Reynolds, Rich N Flashy has really started to blossom in his second season of racing. Once again driver Tyler Buter will be at the controls as the 5-2 morning line favorite leaves from post position five.

John Prentice and Neva Jane Grevengoed’s Fort Silky was just a head behind the top choice in last week’s Sportsmaster Stake, and this beaten favorite will be looking to avenge that tough luck loss tonight. After being unraced at two and then getting off to a slow start in 2009, this altered son of Ft. Apache Hanover has really come on strong over the past month, and he now boasts a record of three wins and two seconds in eight starts. The John Prentice trainee is the second choice in the morning line at 3-1 and he will have the services of Robert Smolin as they leave from the second tier this evening.

Fox Valley Seth finished third in last week’s action, and from the inside starting spot he figures to make his presence felt once again in tonight’s battle. The Nelson Willis-trained son of Incredible Finale has yet to find the winner’s circle in his second season but he is the richest and fastest pacer in the field with career earnings of more than $60,000 and a mark of 1:52.3, which he put up at Balmoral during his two-year-old season.

LONGTIME ILLINOIS HORSEMAN DIES

James M. “Jim” Crebs, a longtime Standardbred owner, trainer and driver here in Illinois passed away recently at his home in Cantrall, Illinois. Mr. Crebs was 74.

Crebs, who was a retired executive vice president of a mortgage lending bank, was involved in harness racing for more than 40 years. He campaigned such Illinois-bred standouts as Hot Chilli Pepper, Redhot Chilli Dog, R H Positive, Hot N Sporty and 1989 Illinois Horse of the Year Fox Valley Redhot who would also go on to be honored as the state’s Broodmare of the Year. A virtual money-making machine, her 10 registered foals all earned sub 2:00 records and more than $1,510,996 in earnings.

He was survived by his wife, Donna Crebs; a son, Tony Crebs of Oceanside, California; a sister, Barbara Mitts of Quincy, Illinois; and a nephew.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Sherman, (IL) United Methodist Church.